Door-catch.



W. R. SAUTTER.

DOOR CATCH,

APPLICATION FILED AUGJY, 19l5.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

II II "err 'ron.

DOOR-CATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

' Application filed August 17, 1915. Serial No. 45,978.

To all whom it may concern: Be it-known that I, WILLIAM R. SAUTTER, a citizen of the-United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Door-Catches, of which the following is a specificationp This invention relates to improvements in door fasteners and contemplates the provision of a portable device especially designed for use by transients, or others, and by means of which the door can be effectively locked from the inside independently of the ordinary door lock.

To this end the invention essentially consists of a pair of hingedly connected sections, one of which is'formed with an angularly V disposed flange at its forward end adapted to be arranged between the door and door casing, and the other of said members having a lateral offset portion with which is associated a door engaging member, the latter being adjustable to permit the device to accommodate itself to doors of varying thickness, with means for holding the sec; tions operatively associated.

In carrying out my invention I provide a device of this character wherein the section adapted to be fitted between the door and the casing has mounted thereon an adjustable slide plate, which terminates at its forward end to provide a flange disposed in parallelism with the flange of the section and adapted to bear against the outer surface of the door casing to coiiperate with the flange on the section to effectively hold the device in its entirety in operative position for use.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description, wherein the construction, combination and arrangement of parts are more fully set forth.

a In the drawing forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fastener showing the same in applied position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fastener showing the sections partly separated. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the slide plate. Fig. 5 is a view of the keeper plate. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the device forming the subject matter of my invention comprises two hingedly connected sections 5 and 6 respectively, the former being provided with a right angularly disposed flange 7 at the forward end thereof adapted to be received within the opening in the usual keeper plate secured to the door casing A, while the section 6 is relatively short terminating in a lateral offset portion 8 with which is associated an adjustable'door engaging member 9 adapted to bear against the inner surface of the door B, subsequent to the closing of the latter upon the section 5. The door engaging member preferably consists of a headed screw bolt adjustably mounted through a suitable opening in the lateral offsetportion 8 of the section 6, and has threadedly associated therewith the nuts 10 arranged at the opposite sides of the offset portion 8 for holding the member 9 in any desired adjusted position. Suitably secured on the head 11 of the member is a pad of any suitable material, preferably rubber adapted to bearagainst the door when the member is adjusted to operative position to prevent marring of the door as will be readily understood.

Passed through a suitable opening in the section 5 is a bolt 13 having a squared portion 1 1, and a threaded portion 15, and slidably mounted upon the bolt is a longitudinally slotted plate 16, the slot of which receives a squared portion 14 of the bolt to prevent turning of the plate relatively there to, while threadedly associated with the portion 15 of the bolt is a thumb nut 17 adapted to bear against said plate and hold the latter in adjusted position upon the section 5. The

plate 16 terminates to provide a flange 18 disposed in parallelism with the flange 7 of the section 5, and which is adapted to bear against the outer surface of the door casing to cotiperate with the flange 7 of the section 6 to hold the device fixed in operative position.

In use the flange 7 of the section 5 is first positioned within the opening in the usual keeper plate in the door casing, and the plate 16 properly adjusted to bring the flange 18 thereof into engagement with the outer surface of the said door casing to hold the device in fixed position. The door B is then swung to its closed position, and the section 6 moved to a position in parallel relation With the section 5. The member 9 is then adjusted so as to bear against the door 13,.

thereby effectively holding the same in its closed position. Fixed to one end of a chain 19 which is carried by the thumb nut 17 is a hook-like element adapted to embrace the upper edges of the sections 5 and 6 to prevent casual separation of the sections when the. latter are operatively associated as shown in Fig. 1. By reason of the adjustments of the plate l6'and the door engaging member 9 respectively, it will be manifest that the latter may be properly adjusted to compensate for any difference in thickness 7 of the door with which the device is intended may be readily secured to the doorcasing A;

. The device is extremely simple in its nature and may be readily applied to the door or removed therefrom at any time without requiring the use of tools for the purpose, and

when removed may be conveniently carried in a valise orabout the person or the user.

VV'hatis claimed is A door fastener comprising two hingedly I connected sections, one terminating to' provide a right angularly disposed flange, the other section being relatively short and terminating to provide a laterally offset portion, an adjustable door engaging member associated with said offset portion, means for holding said memberinadjusted position, a substantially L-shaped plate mounted for longitudinal adjustment upon the first men tioned section, the shorter limb of said plate being disposed in parallelism with. said flange, the longer limb of said plate having an elongated slot, a bolt projecting through said section and slot, a nut adjustably associated with the bolt and adapted to hold the plate fixed relatively to said section, said nut having an annular groove, a flexible element having one end secured in thegroove, and a hook like member carried by the opposite end thereof and adapted to embrace the upper edges of said sections to hold the latter operatively associated.

In testimony whereofI aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM R. SAUTTER.

WVitnesses HARRY A. GoLDMAN, LOLA R. DARROCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents. each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtonQD. O. 

